A Central Florida man could face the remainder of his life in prison after being arrested on dozens of charges related to possessing child sexual abuse material.
Attorney General James Uthmeier held a news conference in Sanford where he detailed the investigation into Blake McKinniss, who was arrested March 9. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) acted on a tip and began looking into McKinniss along with investigators from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office and the Sanford Police Department.
A search warrant was executed earlier this month. Uthmeier said that when investigators arrived, they found a “house of horrors” at the home of the 37-year-old.
“What law enforcement saw when they arrived left them speechless,” Uthmeier said.
Investigators say McKinniss’ home was decorated with children’s attire, toys and paraphernalia. Uthmeier said McKinniss had no contact with children at the time of his arrest. But there were children’s clothing and toys strewn throughout the residence, even though no children lived there.
Investigators then looked into digital images that McKinniss possessed. He was charged with 53 counts of possessing child sexual abuse material, 46 counts of artificial intelligence child sexual abuse material and one count of possessing a childlike sex doll.
“This guy could spend the rest of his life in prison and I’m grateful our team worked to ensure he never has access to our kids,” Uthmeier said.
FDLE Special Agent in Charge Felipe Williams said the agency is committed to arresting child predators.
“FDLE remains steadfast in our mission to protect our most vulnerable from those who seek to harm them,” Williams said. “Our agents and law enforcement partners work every day to identify and remove dangerous predators from our communities. We have kept our word: if you think you can prey on our children, you are wrong.”
McKinniss remains in the Seminole County Jail on a $350,000 bond. Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution will handle the case in court.
